Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of a making an antifouling coating for polymeric articles, and more particularly, a method of applying a powder metal layer as an antifouling coating to a polymeric article.
Marine biofouling or fouling occurs to some degree on virtually all marine structures and equipment, including various structures and equipment that employ polymeric articles. The degree of fouling depends on many factors, including the marine environment in which the article is used (i.e. the geographic location and water conditions, including temperature, turbidity, etc.) as well as the depth at which the article is used. Plant or soft fouling, such as by algae and slimes, occurs in the near surface region (e.g., 50 m or less), but may also occur at deeper depths, while hard fouling, such as by shellfish and the like, can occur down to about 150 m, for example.
Biofouling of various polymeric articles, such those employed with various acoustic devices is particularly problematic because the mechanical and other means used to remove such fouling may also damage the surface of such articles and effect the performance of the acoustic device. Various continuous coatings of antifouling agents have been employed, such as various antifouling paints, but these are generally not useful when the polymeric article is flexible, such as flexible articles formed from various elastomeric materials. The use of various coatings employing metallic particles have been suggested, but these coatings and the methods employed to make these articles may not be suitable for use on flexible polymeric articles, particularly those having complex surface shapes, and more particularly those used with acoustic devices that must be able to transmit and/or receive acoustic signals through the coating.
Therefore, methods of making antifouling coatings for use on polymeric articles and the articles themselves, particularly flexible articles having complex surface shapes, and more particularly those used with acoustic devices that must be able to transmit and/or receive acoustic signals through the coating, are very desirable.